


A Crossing In Time

by orphan_account



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: F/M, Fanfic, Flashback, Friendship, Meeting, before arrow, pairing - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-04
Updated: 2014-11-04
Packaged: 2018-02-24 02:43:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,567
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2565371
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tommy Merlyn and Felicity Smoak meet briefly before Oliver ever gets back from the Island.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Crossing In Time

**Author's Note:**

> I've always loved the head cannon of Felicity and Tommy having crossed paths before without ever realizing it, and this popped into my head! Hope you like it!

Felicity couldn’t stop beaming.

It didn’t matter that not a single person in the crowd was there for her, or that she had been ghosting her eyes over the crowd the entire ceremony, looking for the face she knew wouldn’t be there, because she had made it.

She had her ugly black frock of a gown on proudly, and ignored the way her cap made her face look a little rounder than usual because she made it. Despite everyone that had told her she couldn’t, she was graduating MIT with a masters. And she couldn’t have been more elated.

At least that was the way she felt all the way back through the ceremony, onto the stage, and back to her seat. She smiled brighter than the sun shining brightly overhead, even as she sat and watched the rest of the ceremony. Slowly though, they commenced, all the acquaintances she had gathered over the years breaking off to join their families and loved ones, while Felicity stood alone. Her smile ebbed—just slightly.

So Felicity left the celebration easily, folding up her robe and cap and shoving them into her oversized bag. She caught the bus, riding the route she knew by heart.

Stepping off, Felicity walked into a shop nearby and was welcomed by the familiar aroma of bread and cinnamon. It stood out so magnificently against the cold steel buildings of the city—with it’s carmel walls, small fireplace, and walls of books. It was a small, unknown alcove in the otherwise unfriendly city. It was Felicity’s favorite place in the world.

"Felicity darling!" An old woman came out from the kitchen door, donning a powered dusted apron and sleeves rolled up to her elbows. Her eyes were warm and wide, the wrinkles around them always hinting at the laugh that rested on her lips. She was comfortably plump, and exuberantly warm.

"You changed!" Dorris exclaimed unhappily, "I wanted to see you in your gown!"

Felicity blushed, accepting her outstretched scone.

"It’s all baggy and weird and unflattering," Felicity commented with a wrinkle of her nose.

"It’s no worse than those dark clothes and makeup you insist on wearing," Dorris started, causing Felicity to roll her eyes at the familiar route of conversation. Anyone else, the critique would have bothered her. But Dorris always meant her words kindly, Felicity knew. It was one of the reasons she liked her so much—her kind bluntness.

Felicity met Dorris the first week of her freshman year at MIT—when the long move from home with zero outlook of friends looked hopeless. Dorris had been there, even when they were strangers, taking Felicity in from the beginning.

"I’m just saying honey, you’re so beautiful without all that makeup," Dorris chanted, rolling out dough behind the counter that Felicity sat herself at.

Felicity simply smiled, glancing around the small bakery, “Not very busy today,” Felicity noticed.

"Everybody’s at graduation, I think," Dorris replied, unworried, "It will pick up tomorrow,"

The bell chimed behind them, and Felicity paid no mind until a finger tapped on her shoulder, forcing her to turn around.

"Hmm?" she questioned through a mouth full of break, before swallowing the large lump painfully—causing her eyes to water.

She almost fainted at the man in front of her.

He was tall and breathtakingly handsome, with a large grin adorning his face. He had the lightest spattering of scruff, dark hair, and light skin. He wore a light leather jacket and dark wash jeans, completing his look.

He smiled at her kindly, before looking down to read off a piece of paper in front of him.

"Find a family-owned food business downtown," He read, brow wrinkled before he looked up at her again, "Do you work here?"

Felicity started, putting down her scone and turning fully towards him.

"And you are…?" Felicity questioned, raising her eyebrows at him. Sure, he was cute—but his privilege wafted off of him palpably, and Felicity knew better than to fall for his charms.

"Tommy," He quirked a smile, stretching out his hand, "And you are…?"

He waited while she pursed her lips, staring at him. After a long moment, his smile started to falter at her reluctance, and his hand fell slowly. She turned in her stool, trying not to feel victorious at deflating his obvious ego.

"Dorris? I think somebody is here to see you," Felicity called, ignoring Tommy as he sat in the stool next to her, studying her.

"Yes, dear?" Dorris emerged from the kitchen, beaming at the two of them. Tommy watched as Felicity’s cold exterior faded instantly and her lips lifted in an answering smile.

Dorris stared at Tommy expectantly.

"Ah yes!" He shook his head, tearing his eyes from Felicity and meeting gazes with the woman, "I’m doing a scavenger hunt—really, a silly thing."

Tommy slid the paper between them, explaining, “We’re trying to find things that are an oddity in the city. Such as, a family owned business.” He smiled charmingly, but Felicity swiped the list from him.

"A food stand that doesn’t sell hotdogs? A liquor store that sells without ID’ing?" Felicity read, before pausing and looking up at Tommy in exasperation, "A 20 year old virgin?”

Tommy snatched the list from her, a bit of a blush filling his cheeks causing Dorris to laugh.

"I never said it was an intellectual scavenger hunt," Tommy said almost defensively, and Dorris roared.

"Well, obviously," Felicity deadpanned. Tommy simply shook his head at her with a smile creeping on his lips at the teasing.

They smiled at each other a beat, before Felicity’s ringer broke through the silence loudly.

"Sorry, I—" Felicity excused herself lamely, rising from the stool, "Hello?" She answered.

Tommy tried to make conversation with Dorris, but continued listening to Felicity’s pleasant tones behind him.

"Yes, this is she," Felicity responded to the voice on the other end, "Oh! Hello! Yes, I’m still very interested."

Felicity made a couple of acquiescing noises in excitement, “Next monday! Yes! Thank you! I will see you then.”

Felicity almost skipped back to them, as they both waited expectantly.

"I got the manager position at Tech World," Felicity exclaimed, and although Tommy didn’t know anything about this girl, he was elated for her. Despite her dark hair and demeanor, she emitted a warmth and excitement that was contagious. 

"Congratulations sweetheart!" Dorris exclaimed, patting her arm affectionately, "You deserved that!"

A beeping sounded from the kitchen, and Dorris jumped, “My muffins!” She rushed into the kitchen, leaving Tommy and Felicity alone.

"You got the job you wanted them?" Tommy remarked, smiling at her. He wasn’t sure why he was still sitting here, in this place that was foreign to him when he had a scavenger hunt to get to, but he couldn’t pull himself from his stool.

"Yes," Felicity’s smile wavered a bit, "Well, it’s not exactly my top choice…" she trailed off, brow now furrowed as she peered down at her coffee in front of her.

"What? Did you not get that job?" Tommy wondered aloud.

"No that’s not it… I just haven’t heard back yet. I really want that job—it’s entry level, but hard to get. It could lead to bigger things. I think I could get it, but I also might not you know? So what if I turn down Tech World, and then don’t get the other job. I’ll be jobless because of my ego!” Felicity stopped her rant, looking at Tommy.

"Oh my goodness, I don’t know why I’m ranting to you. I don’t even know you." Felicity muttered. Tommy ignored her last comment, addressing the previous.

"What do you really want to do?” Tommy asked, and Felicity thought a moment.

"I really want the other job," Felicity admitted, almost as a secret.

"Then you answered your own question," Tommy said simply, "This is your first real job, right?" Felicity nodded.

"Then go for what you want. You’re fresh out of college—when better to test the waters than this?" Tommy shrugged.

"This is probably the worst time—I have a huge pile of student loans to pay off. That requires a job," Felicity said, exasperated at his nonchalant attitude. He brushed her off.

"If you take the first job, you’ll always wonder what if. If you wait, you’ll know.” Tommy said, and Felicity stared in wonder at him. She had misjudged him—this privileged boy that waltzed easily into her life.

Tommy tapped the counter in finality and stood from his stool, raking a hand through his hair.

"You only have on life. Live it how you want," Tommy remarked, sticking out a hand. This time she shook it easily, their palms warm against each other.

He walked out easily, looking back once to smile at her before the door shut behind him.

That night, Felicity called back IT World, and turned down the job offer. The next day, she was contacted by Queen Consolidated—they wanted her after all. Tommy had been right.

She wasn’t sure why she did it, but that night after she met Tommy she died her hair. Washed off her makeup. Put her glasses back on. She did it because she wanted to—it was her life. She wanted to live it in whatever way she wanted.

It wasn’t until the next week that Felicity realized she had never told Tommy her name.


End file.
